Record number of Michelin stars for pubs
Three pubs have been awarded the prestigious Michelin star in the new Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2010.
This brings the total of pubs with the award to 10 and is a record number of stars to be given to pubs in any one year.
The Harwood Arms in Fulham, London, has become the first pub in London to achieve the accolade.
The business is a collaboration between Mike Robinson who also owns the Pot Kiln, in Frilsham, Berkshire, Brett Graham of London's Ledbury Restaurant and Edwin Vaux from Vaux Brewery.
James and Kate MacKenzie of freehold the Pipe & Glass in East Beverly, Yorkshire has also achieved the accolade. MacKenzie used to work at Andrew Pern's Star Inn, Harome, North Yorkshire.
Michael Parksinson's pub the Royal Oak in Paley Street, Berkshire, which is a Fuller's tenancy has also achieved the accolade. Head chef is Dominic Chapman who formerly worked at Heston Blumenthal's Hinds Head in Bray, Berkshire. The pub is run by Parkinson's son Nick.
Eight pubs also achieved the Michelin Bib Gourmand, the award for good food at moderate prices.
These are Paul Ripley's St Kew Inn, Wadebridge, Cornwall which is a St Austell brewery tenancy; Stephen Bull's Butchers Arms in Woolhope, Herefordshire; the Bee in Windlesham, Surrey and the Drapers Arms in Islington, London.
The Drapers Arms is owned by Ben Maschler, son of restaurant critic Fay Maschler who was previously head of food at Geronimo Inns.
Other pubs winning the award are the Pony and Trap, Chew Magna, Somerset; the Red Lion in East Chisenbury, Wiltshire; the George & Dragon and the Bay Horse in Hurworth-on-tees, Durham.
A rising star award has been awarded to the Black Swan in Oldstead, North Yorkshire. Michelin launched the rising stars, which identify restaurants that are in line for a first, second or third Michelin star in the future, five years ago.
Editor Derek Bulmer said: "Last year was clearly a difficult year for hotels and restaurants but those establishments who reacted by being more flexible and creative appear to be riding the storm. Value for money has also been an important factor and we have awarded 28 new Bib Gourmand awards — 'good food at moderate prices' - which reflects this.
"Chefs have had to be more resourceful and restaurants have had to adapt to changing eating habits. Some have even introduced 'credit crunch' menus to help fight the recession. Long-established restaurants have proved to be resilient but we have also seen plenty of new openings."
